r la Bruyere;
concluding with these words:--'Sir, he has no more the soul of a Chief,
than an attorney who has twenty houses in a street, and considers how
much he can make by them.'

He this day, when we were by ourselves, observed, how common it was for
people to talk from books; to retail the sentiment's of others, and not
their own; in short, to converse without any originality of thinking. He
was pleased to say, 'You and I do not talk from books[1026].'

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4.

I was glad to have at length a very fine day, on which I could shew Dr.
Johnson the _Place_ of my family, which he has honoured with so much
attention in his _Journey_. He is, however, mistaken in thinking that
the Celtick name, _Auchinleck_, has no relation to the natural
appearance of it. I believe every Celtick name of a place will be found
very descriptive. _Auchinleck_ does not signify a _stony field_, as he
has said, but a _field of flag stones_; and this place has a number of
rocks, which abound in strata of that kind. The 'sullen dignity of the
old castle,' as he has forcibly expressed it, delighted him
exceedingly.[1027] On one side of the rock on which its ruins stand,
runs the river Lugar, which is here of considerable breadth, and is
bordered by other high rocks, shaded with wood. On the other side runs a
brook, skirted in the same manner, but on a smaller scale. I cannot
figure a more romantick scene.

I felt myself elated here, and expatiated to my illustrious Mentor on
the antiquity and honourable alliances of my family, and on the merits
of its founder, Thomas Boswell, who was highly favoured by his
sovereign, James IV. of Scotland, and fell with him at the battle of
Flodden-field[1028]; and in the glow of what, I am sensible, will, in a
commercial age, be considered as genealogical enthusiasm, did not omit
to mention what I was sure my friend would not think lightly of, my
relation[1029] to the Royal Personage, whose liberality, on his
accession to the throne, had given him comfort and independence[1030].
I have, in a former page[1031], acknowledged my pride of ancient blood,
in which I was encouraged by Dr. Johnson: my readers therefore will not
be surprised at my having indulged it on this occasion.

Not far from the old castle is a spot of consecrated earth, on which may
be traced the foundations of an ancient chapel, dedicated to St.
Vincent, and where in old times 'was the place of graves' for the
family. It